Clearer for textile machines



April 9, 1957 N. E. KLEIN CLEARER FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed July 12,1952 l as 3 INVENTOR.

4/08/1414 E. KLE/N 'wzi w AT TOPA/E K nited States Patent CLEARER FORTEXTILE MACHINES Norman E. Klein, Pendleton, S, C., assignor to DeeringMillikan Research Corporation, Pendleton, S. C., a corporation ofDelaware Application July 12, 1952, Serial No. 298,581

11 Claims. (Cl. 19-440) This invention relates to clearers for textilemachines and is particularly directed to clearer rolls for drawingframes, spinning frames and the like.

It is well known that the front rolls of drawing and spinning frameshave a much greater propensity toward the colllection of fly, lint andother deleterious material thereon than do the other rolls of the frame.For this reason, the expedient of equipping these rolls, particularlythe top roll, with means for clearing or cleaning the same has long beenadopted.

Conventionally, the clearing means has taken two general forms: (1) thatof a cylindrical roll covered with felt with or other similar material 7supported by the frame for rolling contact with the'roll to be cleared,and (2) that of a block or its equivalent non-rotatively supported bythe frame for sliding contact with the roll. It will, thus, be seen thateach of these two forms is dependent upon a different type of engagementwith. the roll for its clearing action, that of the first being arolling engagement and that of the second being a sliding engagement.

Each of these types of engagement has certain desirable characteristicsas well as undesirable ones. The sliding action performs well inremoving loose fibers from the roll, but it tends to accumulate fiberswhich, after a period of time, act to clog the surface of the clearerand lower its efficiency. Also, tufts or bunches of fibers are pulledfrom this accumulation and introduced into the sliver or roving,destroying its uniformity. On the other hand, the rolling action is notefficient in picking up loose fibers. It does, however, make availablemore surface for fiber accumulation and constantly presents a differentsurface to the roll.

It is thus the broad object of thisinvention to provide a clearer rollwhich combines a sliding action with a roll ing action and, thus,incorporates the desirable characteristics of each without theundesirable characteristics inherent therein.

It is another object of this invention to provide a clearer roll withmeans for retarding the rotation thereof so that a combinedsliding-rolling action is achieved, the retarding force applied by suchmeans being proportional to the velocity of the roll.

A further object of this invention is the provision of rotationretarding means which is small in size, inaccessible to fly and lint,and mounted so as to have minimum interference with the normal operationof the machine.

A still further object is to furnish a clearer roll with a brakedisposed within a recess provided in one'end of the roll.

Other and further objects and advantages will be revealed in thefollowing detailed description when read in connection with thedrawings, in which:

Figure l is an elevation view of a portion of a spinningframe, the topclearer roll being partially cut away to show the present invention inoperative relationship therewith;

Figure 2 is a detailed cross sectional view of one form 2,78 7,81 lPatented Apr. 9, 1957 clearer roll of conventional size andconfiguration having associated therewith means for retarding rotationof the" roll, which means is disposed within a recess provided in oneend of the roll. The clearer roll being prevented from attaining a rateof rotation equal to that of the draft roll slips or slideswith respectto that roll, thus producing the desired clearing action.

Turning now to a detailed description of my invention,"

Figure 1 shows one end of one section of a conventional drawing frame orspinning machine and, in this figure, the

numeral 11 designates that portion of the frame which supports thedrawing rolls l2 and 13 of the frame, which portion includes anupstanding slotted or channel-Shaped iournal 14 for receiving the axleof a conventional clearer roll 15. Generally, such axles have beencircular in cross section to permit the clearer roll to turn freely byvirtue of its contactual relationship with the top draw' ing roll 13.According to my invention, however, it is necessary that the memberwhich corresponds to the axle of the clearer roll be of square or otherirregular cross section so that it is engaged by the channel member 14andheld against rotation. As can be seen from Figure 1,

the clearer roll is of conventional configuration with the exceptionthat it is provided at one end thereof with an axial recess or bore 16,within which recess is housedthe braking or rotation retarding means,generally designated 17.

One form of rotation retarding means, best shown in Figures 2 and 3,consists broadly of a step-up planetary gearing system driven byrotation of the clearer roll, to

which is coupled a centrifugally operated brake which functions toresist rotation of the roll.

that of the axial recess 16 is press-fitted therein. Rotatably heldwithin the capsule 20 by means of a bushing 21, formed, preferably, ofnylon or similar material, is a shaft 22 extending axially of thecapsule, one end of which projects outwardly of the capsule fit! tofunction as one axle of the clearer roll 15, being provided, asheretofore mentioned, with a rectangular head 23 which fits within thechannel member 14. The other end of the shaft 22 is provided with anenlarged cylindrical portion 24 in which is formed a pair ofdiametrically spaced holes 25 and 25 which extend parallel to the axisof the shaft and an axial hole 26 located intermediate the holes 25 and25. Fixed within the holes 25 and 25 are a pair of pins 27 and 27' whichproject beyond the enlarged portion 24. Rotatably carried by theprojecting portion of the pins 27 and 27 are a pair of gears 28 and 28'which mesh with an internal gear 29 provided on the internal surface ofthe capsule 2t).

Meshing with the gears 28 and 28 is a pinion 30 car ried by a shaft 31,one end of which is rotatably joun naled in the axial hole 26. Thus, theinternal gear-gear.--

pinion array functions as a step-up planetary gearing the closure member32 is a transversely disposed clement, generally designated 35, which,in the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3', has a pair of radiallyextending arms' A cylindrical" member or capsule 20 conforming in sizeand shape to 36 and 36' extending radially therefrom. The arms 36 and36" terminate just short of the internal walls of capsule 20, radiallyextending recesses 37 and 37' being formed in the ends thereof. Insertedin each of the recesses 37 and freely slidable therein is a slug 38 ofany suitable wear-resistant material, the slugs being fully received bythe recesses when in their inoperative position but capable of beingexpelled outwardly therefrom into contact with the inner surface of thecapsule 20.

In operation, the capsule and the components housed thereby are insertedinto the recess at the end of clearer roll 15 and the clearer rollplaced in operative position on the drawing frame, the square head 23 ofthe shaft 24 being inserted into the channel member 14. Upon rotation ofthe clearer roll 15 by virtue of its contact with top drawing roll 13,the capsule rotates bodily with the roll, the pinion is being driven ata much higher rate of rotation than that of the clearer roll 15 throughthe gears 28 and the internal gear 29. The transverse member rotateswith the pinion so that the slugs 38 are urged outwardly under theaction of centrifugal force into frictional engagement with the internalsurface of the walls of the capsule 20, exerting a braking forcethereon, which force is, of course, proportional to the speed of theroll. The force or torque exerted upon the roll to drive the same isvirtually constant, being a function of the weight of the roll and thecoefficient of friction between the surface of the clearer roll and thedraft roll. Thus, the actual or resultant speed of the clearer roll isthat at which the driving force and braking force are in equilibrium. Itwill be apparent that the braking characteristic of this embodiment is afunction of the mass of the slugs, the length of the radially extendingarms 36 and 36 and the ratio of the step-up gearing array. Hence, byproper choice of a value for each of these variables, any desiredbraking characteristic can be obtained.

Another form of rotation retarding means, illustrated in Figures 4 and5, consists broadly of a fixed member and a member rotating with theclearer roll, the two being coupled through a viscous medium. In thismodification, a capsule 40 capable of being pressfitted into recess 16has rotatably mounted therein by means of a bushing 41 a shaft 42, oneend of which projects outwardly from the capsule, having a head 43 ofsquare cross-section formed thereon, similar to head 23 of shaft 22 inthe embodiment shown in Figure 2. The other end 44 of the shaft 42disposed within the capsule 40 is of non-circular cross section, forexample, flattened on each side thereof. The interior of the capsule 4tisfilled with a high viscosity medium 45, such as a silicone fluidhaving a dynamic viscosity of several hundred thousand centistokes or asemisolid silicone resin such as that sold under the trade name of SillyPutty, both of which are manufactured by Dow Corning Corp, of Midland,Michigan. Suitable sealing means, designated 46, is furnished betweenthe viscose medium and the bushing 41.

With a view to facilitating the introduction of the viscous medium intothe capsule 40, the internal end of the capsule 46 is provided with atapped hole 47 in which a screw 48 is removably embedded. Upon removalof the screw 48, the viscous medium can be injected through the holeinto the capsule.

In order to prevent the shaft 42 from being forced out of a capsuleunder the thrust of the high viscous medium, a washer 49 is secured tothe shaft 42 by means of a snap ring 50 placed in an annular grooveformed on the shaft 42, the washer 49 bearing against the inner face ofthe bushing 41.

In operation, the device is assembled as specified in the case of theform of the invention illustrated in Figure 2. The high viscosity mediumwill engage the irregular surface of the internal end 44 of the shaft 42and the inner surface of the capsule 40 and resist relative rotationbetween these two members with the result that the rate of rotation ofthe clearer roll will be established at that velocity at which thedriving torque and the resisting torque are in equilibrium. The brakingcharacteristic of this modification will, of course, be dependent uponthe geometry and size of the end 44 of shaft 42 as well as the viscosityof the medium 45.

Obviously, the instant invention is susceptible of wide variation indetail by one skilled in the art. For example, it could be modified foruse with a bottom clearer roll as well as for a top clearer roll asillustrated, the number of arms provided on the transverse member 35could be increased or decreased in accordance with the dictates of aparticular situation, a magnetic eddy current coupling between elementsrotating at different rates of speed could be employed, and other minorchanges could be made, all without departing from the spirit of thisinvention. Hence, I do not choose to be limited to the details of thespecific embodiments of this invention, but only by the claims hereuntoappended.

Having thus described my invention, that which is claimed is:

1. The combination with a clearer roll for textile machines, saidmachines having top and bottom rolls and means for supporting saidclearer roll in frictional engagement with one of said rolls, saidclearer roll being provided with an axial recess in at least one endthereof, of means for applying a force against the interior surface ofsaid recess to resist rotation of said clearer roll, said force beingproportionate to the velocity of said roll.

2. The combination with a clearer roll for textile machines, saidmachines having top and bottom rolls and means for supporting saidclearer roll in frictional engagement with one of said rolls, of meansrestrained against rotation by engagement with said clearer rollsupporting means, means rotatable with said roll, and means operable byvirtue of the relative rotation of the two said means to partiallyrestrain said roll against free rotation.

3. The combination with a clearer roll mounted in peripheral abutmentwith a driven draft roll of a textile machine, being rotated by virtueof said abutment, of braking means disposed within and operable uponsaid clearer roll in response to rotation thereof to partially andcontinually restrain free rotation and cause slippage with respect tosaid driven roll.

4. The combination with a rotatable member driven by frictionalengagement with a driven rotary member of means for producing slipbetween said members, said means comprising an element fixed againstrotation, an element carried by said rotatable member and rotatabletherewith, and means frictionally coupling said elements together topartially restrain said rotatable member against free rotation with saiddriven rotary member.

5. The combination with a rotatable member adapted to be rotated byperipheral contact with a driven rotary member, of means for producingslip between said members, said means comprising a shaft fixed againstrotation on which said rotatable member is mounted, means carriedinternally of said rotatable member and rotatable therewith, and meanscoupling said shaft and said internal member, being operable uponrelative rotation of said shaft and said internal member to exert aforce upon said rotatable member to resist rotation of the.

7. The device as in claim 6 wherein said first-named means is acylindrical member open at its outer end, said coupling means is ahighly viscous semi-fluid medium contained within said cylindricalmember, the inner end of said shaft is formed with an irregular surfaceadapted to be frictionally engaged by said medium, and sealing means isprovided adjacent the outer end of said cylindrical means to prevent theescape of said medium therefrom.

8. The device as in claim 6 wherein said first-named meansis an internalgear, the inner end of said shaft is provided with a support portion, atleast one gear rotata'bly carried by said support portion, said secondnamed gear meshing with said internal gear, a pinion meshing with saidsecond named gear, and means rigidly connected to said pin-ion, saidlast-named means being operable upon rotation of the pinion tofrictionally engage the walls of said recess to partially brake theclearer roll against rotation.

9. The device in claim 8 wherein said lastnamed means comprises at leastone arm rotatable with said pinion and extending radially thereof to apoint just short of the internal walls of said axial recess, a radiallyextending recess being provided in the end of said arm and a slug ofwear-resistant material disposed within said recesses, being freelyslidable therein, whereby rotation of said pinion urges said slugagainst the internal wall of said axial recess to partially brake theclearer roll.

10. The combination with a clearer roll mounted in peripheral abutmentwith a driven draft roll of a textile machine, being rotatedsubstantially solely by virtue of said abutment, of braking meansdisposed within and operable upon said clearer roll in response torotation thereof to partially and continually restrain free rotation andcause slippage with respect to said driven roll.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said braking meansincludes speed responsive means for exerting a braking force on saidroll which is a function of the velocity of said roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,639,802 Jones Aug. 23, 1927 1,745,151 Co-mber Jan. 28, 1930 2,051,793Casablancas Aug. 18, 1936 2,112,937 Taylor Apr. 5, 1938 2,112,938 TaylorApr. 5, 1938 2,151,273 Hess Mar. 21, 1939 2,180,325 Toenniessen Nov. 14,1939 2,350,254 Shaw May 30, 1944 2,362,782 Truslow et al Nov. 14, 19442,382,214 Dunleavy "Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 609,142 Germany Feb.8, 1935

